Volunteers with the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League are busy sorting merchandise for the annual Cat’s Meow rummage sale and quickly filling up the 20,000-square-foot borrowed space with knick knacks, clothes and collectibles.

But they have room for more.

Volunteers are accepting merchandise at the former Outreach Ministries building in downtown Brookhaven at 101 E. Court St. across from The Daily Leader. Drop-off times are every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon.  Other drop-off times can be arranged by texting 601-720-1505.

The sale is at the same building May 4 from 5-8:30 p.m., May 5 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and May 6 from 1-3:30 p.m.

The May 4 (Friday night) sale requires a $5 admission, which gives buyers first dibs on the merchandise, said event chairwoman Deana Pendley. Anyone who purchases an admission ticket gets a free raffle ticket for a 50-gallon gas giveaway. Raffle tickets can also be purchased separately for $2 each or three for $5. The raffle drawing will be May 6 at 3 p.m. The winner is not required to be present for the drawing.

Shoppers on May 6 will be given 10-gallon bags to fill. Everything in the bag will cost just $10, Pendley said.

Donations have been steadily arriving and volunteers are putting in 40-hour weeks to get everything sorted and priced. The Cat’s Meow is a big fundraiser for the non-profit organization that runs an animal shelter in Brookhaven.

“We’re still taking anything, but we always like the big items. That’s really where we make our money,” she said.

Funds are also raised through the ticket sales for admission to the Friday night sale. Last year, more than 600 people paid $5 for the chance to shop early.

The admission tickets help add to the kitty, since items are priced low to attract shoppers to the sale. Most items are 50 cents or $1. More expensive items like antiques and collectibles have higher price tags and are displayed in a separate area called The Specialty Shop, Pendley said.

The rummage sale has been a fundraiser for BARL for about seven years, though it rarely stays in the same place. They borrow the building for the sale each year, so it changes frequently. The last two years found them in the old Hudson’s building. They’re in the former Missions Outreach building this year. Pendley doesn’t know where they’ll be next year.

“The size of this sale is unbelievable. We’re using at least 20,000-square-feet of this building, maybe more. You really have to see it to believe it,” said Lu Becker, BARL president.

Proceeds from the Cat’s Meow rummage sale benefit the animals in the shelter. BARL is a non-profit, volunteer-based, limited-admission animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. BARL provides food, shelter and veterinary services for homeless animals until they are adopted. All BARL animals are vaccinated and spayed/neutered. Dogs are also micro-chipped. 

BARL will also host “Barkfest 2.0: The Reboot” June 9 at the Brookhaven Exchange Club Fair beginning at 9 a.m.

The event was held recently, but bad weather kept the crowds away. Organizers decided to try again in June. Vendors are invited back without fees, said volunteer Beth Adcock.

Wristbands are $10 for unlimited rides on the midway.

Food will be sold and vendors will have booths set up with items available for purchase. Other activities include a painted-rock hunt, a karaoke contest, a doggy day spa, face painting and a puppy petting zoo.

Well-behaved pets are welcome to attend BARKfest as long as they’re on leashes.